Decorah Community Free Clinic

604 W. Broadway – Decorah, Iowa 52101
West side of First Lutheran Church

The Free Clinic is open Thursdays.
Patients registration is 5 to 6 p.m.

Nurse: (563) 419-0962 Leave a message and we will call you as soon as possible.Please do not call the doctors at their clinics.

The Free Clinic offers health care and information for adults and children who don’t have insurance, or have insurance that doesn’t pay for what they need. People may be referred to other health programs that are available to them.

Clinic services are free. Doctors, nurses and other staff are volunteers. Money for the clinic is donated by people, clubs, and businesses in Northeast Iowa.

Free Clinic volunteers can help with:

Examinations to find out what is wrong.

Medicine that is free or low-cost, when needed.

Free or low-cost blood tests or X-rays. Special testing is generally not available.

Advice about how patients can help themselves feel better.

Finding care at other clinics when needed.

Decorah Community Free Clinic opened in November 2002 to provide medical care and health education to uninsured and under-insured people. The Decorah Faith Coalition, with the assistance of the Luther College social work department, had identified health care as an unmet need in the community. A core group of organizers raised funds, gathered donated equipment and supplies, and recruited volunteers.

Free Clinic volunteers have now provided more than 6,750 services to patients from more than eight counties in Northeast Iowa and Southeast Minnesota. Many patients are employed or live in a household where the head of the family is employed. Some patients have health insurance, but with a high deductible or outstanding bills so that the cost of routine doctor visits, testing or medication is a burden.

The Free Clinic staff attempt to coordinate with, rather than duplicate services of, other agencies or programs. Patients may be referred to the Iowa Dept. of Human Services for Medicaid or IowaCare, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, Community Action Health Services for family planning, or other services.

The Free Clinic is open Thursday evenings with patient registration from 5 to 6 p.m. It is an Iowa non-profit corporation (501c3) with a board of directors that meets quarterly. It is funded almost entirely by donations from local individuals, clubs and businesses. First Lutheran Church donates space for clinic operations. Potential volunteers and donors from the region are encouraged to contact the Free Clinic.